Hydraulic ram installation



Dec. 3, i940. A JQNES 2,223,826

HYDRAULIC RAM INSTALLATION Filed May 6, 1939 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 3, 1940. A L JQNES 2,223,826

HYDRAULIC RAM INSTALLATION Filed May 6. 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 3, 1940 UNITED srA'res PATENT orties 2 Claims.

This invention relates to the operation and use of hydraulic rams and more particularly to -hy draulic ram installations for raising .water from a lower level to a higher level and storing same 5 in reservoirs, for any purpose such as operating machinery by water power, irrigation, or as a source of municipal water supply.

The chief object of this invention is to provide a head of water by means of a water tight open top pit or shaft located or sunk in a body of water and extended from the bottom to the top thereof, for housing a battery of `hydraulic rams at the bottom, the rams having individual drive lines or feeders connected thereto and extended upwardly medially into the body of water, the intakes of said drive lines being located beneath the low water level of the body of water so that a driving head is constantly maintained upon the rams, the water being discharged from each ram into a common delivery line provided for the purpose, and there being suitable drains, either forcedv or gravity for expelling the spent water discharged into the pit.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein is shown a preferred embodiment of this invention, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the Water power installation.

Figure 2 is a top View of the pit showing the rams and delivery and intake lines operatively connected therein.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification it will be seen that the invention resides in an installation or battery of hydraulic rams 5 for raising water from a lower level, as from within the body of a lake or river 6, to a higher level for storage in a reservoir 1, whence it may be drawn as desired for any purpose.

In carrying .out or practicing this invention a suitable concreted shaft, pit or sump 8 is constructed in the lake S in any conventional manner, as by the use of caissons (not shown), and is extended from the bottom of the lake up beyond the high water mark thereof, so that the open upper end 8a is alwaysclear of the water thereby permitting access into the pit.

A battery .of hydraulic rams 5 is located at the bottom of the pit or sump. These rams are mounted on open footings I2 and are each Aoperated by an individual drive line or feeder 9 disposed preferably parallel to one another and (Cl. 10S- 377) having their intakes 9a located well below the low water level of the body of water, thereby eliminating the possibility of the intakes becoming fouled by surface drift. The feeders are extended downwardly through the water to the floor Il of the pit whence they are turned and extended upwardly through the footings I2 and connected individually to therams. The aforementioned footings I2 are open at their under sides I3-I3a thereby permitting access of the caretaker to the ,bases of the ram and the connections thereto for examining and repairing same. The delivery or discharge pipes I4 of these rams are connected to a common delivery line I5 either directly or as here shown through a delivery tank I6 whereby the water is forced upwardly to the reservoir I, the cornmon delivery line being extended upwardly through the earth and entering the reservoir underground so'as to avoid the danger of freezing in the winter. The preferred mode of carrying away the spent water or water used in operating the rams and discharged from the overows directly into the pit, is to provide a mechanically driven water pump I1 for pumping the Water out'of the pit, the water being discharged from the pit back into the lake. However a common gravity drain pipe I9 may also be provided and extended from the bottom of the pit out through the earth to a lower level. Such drain would take care of excess waste water from the rams, and would be useful too in case the pump became inoperative temporarily and failed to function. A ap valve 2G operable from the top of the pit by means of a rod 2l, can be oper- 5 ated to close this drain when not required to be open.

In use the body of water in the lake creates a head and pressure in the several drive lines 9 and thereby actuates the rams 5 in the conventional manner, the water being forced upwardly through the delivery pipe I5 and into the reservoir I, the spent water being removed either by a mechanical pump or through a drain by gravity. o While I have herein set forth and described a certain assembly for exemplifying my invention, it is understood that I may vary the same in minor details, not departing however from the spirit of the invention as dened in the appended f claims.

I claim: 1. In a system of the kind described, an open topped pit located vertically within a body of water and extending from the bottom thereof 55 up beyond its surface, a battery of hydraulic rams located within the bottom of the pit upon open footings, individual feeder lines extending from points outside the pit medially Within the body of water, through the wall of the pit and separately connected with the several rams, a common delivery tank to receive the discharge from the rams, pipes connecting the rams With the delivery4 tank, a, delivery pipe leading from the delivery tank. upwardly into an elevated reservoir, a gravity drain for drawing oi the waste water from the bottom of the pit, a valve for closing the drain, means for remotely operating the Valve.

2. In an apparatus as dened in claim 1, power operated means for drawing off said Waste Water independently of the gravity drain.

ARTHUR L. JONES. 

